BEFORE GETTING down to the cut and thrust of the case between Belfast developer Paddy McKillen and the Barclay brothers earlier this week, there was a slightly bizarre exchange between the judge and counsel for the Barclays.
It centred around the pronunciation of Coroin, the legal entity that operates the group of posh London hotels that are at the heart of the legal dispute.
Kenneth Maclean, QC for the Barclays, said: “I say Coro-in. I am told by an Irish gentleman sitting behind me, who should know best, that you pronounce it Coroin.
“So I am going to say Coroin from now on. Perhaps in due course, Mr McKillen will correct me. I do not know.”
Mr Justice David Richards responded: “This is the courtroom of correct pronunciation.
“It was here first revealed,” he added, that Mr [Roman] Abram-ovich is pronounced in that way.”
Thank goodness that was cleared up.
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FASHION retailer Next reported full year results yesterday. Among other things, it posted a strong increase in its international online sales, which more than trebled to £33 million. Among the 48 territories where online is available, sales were “particularly strong” in Germany, the US, Australia, Poland, Russia and Ireland – or “Eire” as Next prefers to call this country.
Eire? Somebody needs to have a word with them.
